It is common for surgical implants to be secured in place using screws or other fasteners. One problem with securing surgical implants with screws or other fasteners relates to fastener migration. After fixation, fasteners may tend to gradually become loose, which is undesirable. In addition, as fasteners become loose, they may protrude outward and can be a source of discomfort and potentially cause trauma to nearby tissue.
Attempts to address these problems have resulted in various types of anti-backout or locking mechanism. However, prior art locking mechanisms present various disadvantages. One problem with some prior art locking mechanisms is that they are cumbersome to a surgeon. Some locking mechanisms require a surgeon to introduce and assemble multiple parts within a patient's body after the implant has been installed. Some locking mechanisms require special tools (e.g., torque wrenches, specialized drivers, etc.) to ensure that they are installed properly. Many prior art locking mechanisms are unnecessarily complex, and therefore expensive and difficult to use.
There is a need for anti-backout mechanisms that function properly, are easy to use, etc. In addition, it is also desired to provide anti-backout mechanisms that are simple and less expensive than other alternatives.